Review Summary: A veteran who knows what is expected of her
P!nk has built quite a career for herself. After a rather dismal start with Can’t Take Me Home, an RnB album that lacks any of the personality that P!nk eventually became known for, she reached the stars with the brilliant pop rock angst record Missundaztood; containing hits like ‘Just Like a Pill’ and ‘Don’t Let Me Get me’ which allowed P!nk to take the mainstream pop world by storm. Try This followed, an album filled with potential (and some brilliant tracks) but also one that feels rushed and often half baked. I’m Not Dead and Funhouse followed suit and continued to solidify the young singer.
Truth About Love is P!nk’s sixth album released in 2012 and, to nobody’s surprise, has done very well on charts all over the world. The question one has to ask themselves though is whether the success of her new album is a result of her simply being a recognizable name in the mainstream crowd or actually due to the merits of the new material? Truth About Love proves to be a mixed affair, one that shows a talent that knows what is expected of them after so long in the business but is still brave enough to keep her own voice rather than just succumbing to any trend of the moment.
The anger and in your face attitude that put P!nk on the map is still present in every verse and every scream, with songs like ‘Blow Me (One Last Kiss)’ and the aggressive opener ‘Are We All We Are’. Songs like the minimalistic ‘Beam Me Up’ and ‘Just Give Me a Reason’ demonstrate the other side of the coin, with lyrics dealing with love and loss that are amplified by a vulnerable and emotional delivery by P!nk;
'Some black birds soaring in the sky,
Barely a breath I caught one last sight
Tell me that was you, saying goodbye,
There are times I feel the shiver and cold,
It only happens when I'm on my own,
That's how you tell me, I'm not alone'
‘Blow Me (One Last Kiss)’ and ‘Try’ have made quite a ripple on the airwaves; two singles designed specifically to be hits. The former is a tongue in cheek track, with a catchy as hell chorus, about maturity and growth inspired by the singer’s recent dive into motherhood. ‘Try’ is a decent enough song, held together by a nice simple piano rhythm and a strong beat, but the strong chorus is let down by verses that are uninspired and unoriginal;
'Ever worried that it might be ruined
And does it make you wanna cry?
When you're out there doing what you're doing
Are you just getting by?'
‘Are We All We Are’ is the heaviest thing P!nk has ever done, the lyrics might be a bit lackluster at times, but the brilliant sing-a-long chorus is one of the best things written in pop all year. ‘Here Comes the Weekend’ and ‘Slut Like You’ are effective club songs, and ‘How Come You’re Not Here’ is a good pop rock song.
‘Beam Me Up’, ‘Just Give Me a Reason’ and ‘The Great Escape’ are the better ballads of the album, with the first being the best song on the album. P!nk has success a great voice that every time she is allowed to carry a song that doesn't try to overpower her with heavy beats and synths she writes a true pop masterpiece. ‘Beam Me Up’ is a sad song about loss and sorrow, but the chorus has a ring of hope to it that creates an uplifting feel for the listener. ‘Just Give Me a Reason’ is a pretty typical piano ballad ft. Fun’s Nate Ruess about a couple that have fallen out but are desperately trying to pull things back together. ‘The Great Escape’ closes the album in attempted epic fashion, with a melancholy piano beat that slowly builds in intensity with each passing chorus as P!nk sings about a friend that is ready to give up the good fight but she can’t just let him surrender;
'But I won’t let you make the great escape
I’m never going to watch you checkin’ out of this place
I’m not going to lose you, ‘cause the passion and pain
Are going to keep you alive someday'
The Truth About Love might be a bit of a pretentious title, but P!nk proves once again why she is considered by many to be the exception to the rule when it comes to pop; she has a voice that separates her from the rest of the ‘it’ crowd that she has spent most of her career ridiculing. Ballads sound sincere and even the token club songs have enough of a personality that one can recognize that is not merely a one hit wonder by some 15 minute sensation, but the sound of a confident veteran.
